Retreat East

There were some lovely elements to our stay and some bits that needed improvement… Firstly we arrived late (not planned) and got to the great barn on a Sunday evening at 7:15pm (last orders 7;30). We’d emailed to explain and they advised to peruse the menu so we could order on arrival. I emailed back having looked at the 4 main course options and said we’d both like the beef. We parked in the main car park and walked down to the main area which is about 100m walk. It says don’t park near your room or you’ll be charged £50 so we duly stuck to this. No one else did, there’s car everywhere! The view from our room was just a car park by the time everyone ignored the parking rule. We arrived and after a few moments someone seated us. We ordered food and drinks and waited a fair while for drinks and then had to remind them to bring us water. After a while the waitress came back and said no beef :-( so we had the pork. The food was stunning, really delicious, we ordered green veg as a side which was broccoli and peas (£6) as it said the mains only come with parsnip, they don’t, there was plenty and we didn’t really need the extra veg. I didn’t have a starter but had one of their nibbles which was very nice- disappointingly they charged me for 2 courses when I had a nibble and a main and they charged me £7 on top for the nibble. We then went to our room which was lovely. The QR code welcome book is ok but doesn’t really explain much about the room facilities or the hotel really. Welcome basket had chocolate and crisps and there’s milk and water in the (noisy) fridge. The toiletries are absolutely lovely and the water pressure is great. The bed was comfy but no bedside tables is a paid for a morning cuppa etc. the TV can swing to be visible in the lounge or bedroom areas but the bed frame makes it impossible to watch TV in bed. Breakfast is ok, nothing overly exciting and not set up by the start time also no one offered us the cooked option menu on either day. We had to wait quite a while on day 2 to get anyone’s attention for hot drinks. The spa is a sauna and a steam room and an outside hot tub (booked separately). There was no one on the spa reception (which is inside the restaurant) so we just figured it out ourselves. That meant we had to use the robes from our room as we couldn’t find any in the spa. We had to fill in forms for treatments sat in the main restaurant area which is ok but a bit weird in your robes. The treatments were brilliant, really good. We had afternoon tea which was lovely, no offer of bubbles so we just had the standard one. No offer of drinks refills. Second nights sleep was dreadful, we were in the Den which is connected to the Nook. Whoever was in there couldn’t sleep and paced all night which caused the floor in our room to creak and kept me awake a lot! There’s a lovely skylight above the bed but it’s mega dirty so the view wasn’t quite what it could be. So all in all… lovely food (Sunday roast a

Lovely stay at retreat east, stayed in the den, we decided to upgrade from a shepherd hut as rain was predicted. Room was lovely but lacked storage in the shower room there was nowhere to put any toiletries or anywhere to do your make up. There wasn’t any bedside tables either so charging your phone across the room you have to get out of bed to turn your alarm off. Food is amazing but I didn’t like 12.5% service added to every bill including breakfast which was £18.50 for a full English. Continental is included but off putting as the fruit, meat and cheese is all uncovered and open to the flies about. We hired the bikes but didn’t last long as couldn’t find anywhere to go, a map would have been handy in the room. Nice stay but lodges lack privacy.

I booked a stay at Retreat East for my girlfriend’s 21st birthday, and it honestly couldn’t have been more perfect. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by how peaceful and picturesque the whole place is — it’s the ultimate escape from everyday life. The accommodation was beautiful – cosy, stylish, and incredibly comfortable. You can tell every detail has been thought through. The hot tub was a real highlight – perfect for unwinding. We also loved taking the bikes out for a ride around the countryside, which added a fun and active touch to the stay. We had both breakfast and dinner at the on-site restaurant and were seriously impressed – fresh, delicious, and beautifully presented. Every meal felt special, and the service was faultless throughout. Overall, Retreat East gave us everything we were hoping for – peace, privacy, and a sense of luxury. It made my girlfriend’s birthday feel really memorable, and we’ve already said we’ll be back. Can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking for a romantic, relaxing break. Massive thanks to Lynn who made our trip extra special